Year three of the Tim Nollan era comes with even higher expectations for an ascending Northwestern volleyball program. After a 12-win improvement from 2024 to 2025, the Wildcats aim to contend in the competitive Big Ten and qualify for the inaugural conference tournament.
However, the ‘Cats lost several key players from last season’s team, including Lauren Carter, Ayah Elnady and Sienna Noordermeer, three of the top four players in sets played. A total of eight players graduated from Northwestern, inspiring a heavy emphasis on recruiting as Nollan signed two new transfers and six high school players to fill out the roster. Here’s how the team looks for the upcoming season.
Despite losing a combined 825 kills from last season’s graduated outside hitters, the ‘Cats are bursting with potential at their pin positions.
The player poised to be the attacking star of this year’s team is sophomore Bella Bullington. She had 291 kills despite starting only 12 matches last year and, over time, became an incredibly reliable option for NU in the most important moments. The 6-foot-1 explosive hitter recorded 18 kills against Indiana and 15 against Michigan State. If Bullington takes any sort of second-year jump, she will be the catalyst for the ‘Cats.
Bella Bullington puts it down 🗣️
📺 @BigTenPluspic.twitter.com/v42a2HbboW
The two most intriguing hitters behind Bullington are Mara Štiglic and Campbell Paris. Štiglic, a decorated hitter from Croatia, transferred to Northwestern after two productive campaigns at Utah State. She started 31 matches for the Aggies last season and led the team with 431 kills. Štiglic’s proven track record and consistency should see her slot in immediately as a dynamic weapon for the ‘Cats, filling the gap that last year’s leader in kills, Elnady, left. Paris is another dynamic threat in the air and enters her senior year after posting 252 kills for Northwestern in 2025. Paris appeared in all 32 matches and hit .287 while averaging over two kills per set. The Wildcat veteran should remain a viable option who injects energy and stability into the lineup.
The returning depth for Northwestern on the outside consists of Lily Wagner and Ava Pratt. Wagner is entering her third season in Evanston and is still waiting to make her mark. She appeared in 32 sets last season and recorded 15 kills along with four aces. Pratt is also heading into her third year at Northwestern but is yet to see game action. The 6-foot-2 hitter was pegged as the No. 5 recruit in the state of Illinois by Prep Dig in 2024, though, so she has the potential to pop.
The ‘Cats added three more reinforcements at their pin positions via the transfer portal and high school recruiting. Cate Schnell is a rising redshirt junior after three seasons spent at Tennessee. Despite struggling to see consistent playing time throughout much of her career, Schnell had her most productive season in 2025 with 16 digs and 14 aces in 47 sets played. She projects as a serving specialist and defensive sub that could prove valuable for NU. The first high school recruit for the ‘Cats is Simone Huarte, who signed out of Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California, and was an All-Conference member four years in a row. Huarte is a lengthy and athletic hitter whose immense high school production could warrant playing time right away. Clara Schramm signed to Northwestern out of Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, and is a versatile and flexible attacker. It may take time for Schramm to develop into a Big Ten-caliber player, but she can play multiple positions and excels at blocking.
With the departure of the multi-dimensional Bella Simkus, there is some uncertainty for the ‘Cats in the middle. Kayla Kauffman and Gabrielle Gerry split time at the second middle blocking position last year, so one might guess they’d both slot into starting roles, but each one comes with their individual flaws.
Kauffman started 22 of the 26 matches she played last season and recorded 58 kills to go along with a team-leading 98 blocks. The 6-foot-2 rising sophomore was a brick wall at the net in her first year and has immense potential as a blocker. Kauffman’s hitting, though, left something to be desired as she had 26 errors and hit .219, a very poor rate for a middle hitter. The defense is excellent, but Kaufmann must improve her attacking game to fully round out her repertoire.
Gerry is the opposite of Kauffman. The 6-foot-5 senior had 45 kills in her 62 sets played and hit .299. She rarely made errors and was a consistent threat on offense. Yet, Gerry’s blocking raises some questions, as she only had 30 in total last season, by far the fewest of the middles who received playing time. Like Kauffman, Gerry must even out her game to become more multi-dimensional and versatile regardless of the situation.
Northwestern signed two high school recruits to provide depth for its two returning middles. Hayley Schaaf stands at 6-foot-3 and hails from Catlin Gabel School in Portland, Oregon. Schaaf had 1,434 kills in high school and was named an All-State and All-League honoree all four years. She is a dangerous hitter and will infuse creativity into the middle of the Wildcat lineup. Maya Stillwell is a 6-foot-4 graduate of Harvard-Westlake in Sherman Oaks, California. Stillwell was a 16U USA Volleyball Junior Nationals Open Division National Champion in high school and is an excellent blocker with some hitting ability. Schaaf projects to be the first-year player who might see impactful playing time immediately, but Stillwell has immense potential and has proved it against elite competition.
Libero is by far and away the strongest position group for Northwestern.
Drew Wright is entering her fourth year in Evanston and has time and again proven her ability. She played in a team-high 126 sets last season and had 266 digs, 97 assists and 32 aces. Wright is a vocal leader of the team and represents the player development that has occurred at Northwestern in recent years. She likely will receive the most playing time at libero, but Nollan recently emphasized the adaptability of NU and its tendency to use lineups with multiple liberos.
Back-to-back-to-BACK aces from Drew Wright 🤯#GoCats | @B1GVolleyballpic.twitter.com/C3YCUTGWRv
— Northwestern Volleyball (@NUVball) September 19, 2024Gigi Navarrete is also a rising senior and career Wildcat who will see ample opportunity. She played in 116 sets last season and had 159 digs, 40 assists and 14 aces. At 5-foot-9, Navarrete is a smaller and faster libero who uses her quick reflexes to keep the ball off the floor.
Lauren Dignan is somewhat of the libero in waiting, but the sophomore was still incredibly productive last year and should only see her role increase. She appeared in 106 sets in 2025 and had an impressive 184 digs. Dignan is a gifted defender and, even if Wright and Navarrete are the main starters in two libero sets, should see playing time as a defensive substitution.
The three liberos on the roster should shore up the back row defense at all times, and the question will be how many of them Nollan can get on the court at once.
The setter position is the biggest question mark for Northwestern this year. After losing Lauren Carter and Sienna Noordermeer, the ‘Cats entered the offseason with no returning setters on the roster. NU signed two high school recruits to try and stabilize itself, but incoming first-years always come with variability. If the two young setters take time to develop or don’t have what it takes to play at the Big Ten level, it may be panic time in Evanston. Luckily, the two signees are both proven and highly talented.
Kaitlyn Bodnar played at Duchesne Academy in Omaha, Nebraska, and totaled 1,882 assists in her career. She led her team in aces in both her junior and senior seasons, and also recorded 543 career digs. Bodnar is a multi-dimensional setter who excels in many areas of the game and could become an impactful addition right away.
Ellie Stiernagle went to high school at Benet Academy in Wheaton, Illinois, a prominent volleyball school in the area. She became a fixture of her team’s starting lineup in her freshman season and went on to lead Benet to the state championship game four times. Stiernagle won over 90% of her games in her three and a half years with the team and became a battle-tested and winning veteran. At 6-foot-1, she is a lengthy setter capable of playing in the front and back row and brings versatility and creativity to the ‘Cats.
Ellie Stiernagle to @CassidyC_7 way too fast for the camera. This @SPVBinc 17 Elite team just has a different speed. pic.twitter.com/IQV6rQ1Huo
— Chris Fitzgerald (@PrepDigChris) June 8, 2025Northwestern needs one of, if not both, Bodnar and Stiernagle to step up immediately to quell any questions about its quarterback on the court. If the wide-eyed inexperience limits the two first-years, NU may have to use one of its liberos to fix the setter problem.
Northwestern’s first exhibition match is on Saturday at Milwaukee at 2 p.m. CT and should reveal a baseline of Nollan’s desired rotations for this season.
Leave a Comment